Ah, those brutal Scandinavian sailors! Brave warriors, skilled shipbuilders and explorers of the "icy land" of Ireland — Vikings! The word "Viking" has formed in our minds a very clear idea: it is always firmly built, broad-shouldered hero with disheveled curls of hair, a sword in his hands and the most recognizable and integral part of the image — a horned helmet. Looking ahead, I will say that the Vikings had always paid special attention to appearance, but more on that later.

Where does the word "Viking" come from? There are many assumptions and a number of hypotheses about it. One of the most convincing is the one that leads us to the ancient Norse word "Viking", where "Vic" is translated as "fjord, bay". That is literally "Viking" — a man from the fjord. At the same time this word called robbers, operating in coastal waters and lurking in secluded bays.

The Vikings' passion for spectacular displays made them come up with equally spectacular names for their majestic ships. "Raven of the Wind" or "Bull of the Ocean" — sonorous phrases excite the imagination and are filled with energy of power and authority. They travelled along the coast of Northern France, Belgium, Germany and England, bringing terror to the local population.

Obviously, the Vikings liked to make a lasting impression. This was particularly evident in their parade and weekend outfits. On holidays it was decided to dress in red dresses made of cloth material, richly decorated with massive gold or silver clasps, trimmed with furs, with additional decorations on the sleeves. Their belts were made of silver, on which were suspended weapons, and various household items. Also, attention was paid to hands: their hands and elbows were always covered with massive heavy rings.

Everyday clothes of seafarers remained traditional — linen, wool, leather and fur. In the warmer months, men's outfit consisted of narrow pants, long linen shirt and jacket, which was often belted. And when the cold came, clothes made of sheepskin and animal fur were added to the outfit.

Here they are fearless and impressive Vikings. And I want to believe that under all this brutality they are "good inside". In my opinion, it is not only my hopes, but also those craftspeople whose works are devoted to photography. In their creations they reveal a completely different image of these heroes — cute, touching, sometimes funny and not scary!

Enjoy!